2OrganizationThe six task presented in this chapter are designed to help you organize your classroom to be efficient and to prompt responsible behavior from your students.If possible, complete task before the school year begins so that you have solid organizational structures in place from the first day of school.Essential information should be included in your Classroom Management and Discipline Plan.

3The Story of . . . . Two Different Professors Two Different MethodsIn Which Class Would you Be More Successful?

5Task 1: Arrange an Efficient Daily ScheduleTo work through the information in this task, first write down your schedule of daily activities within your subject, the amount of time spent on each, and whether the activity is teacher directed, independent work, or a cooperative group task.In other words, outline a typical lesson plan for each subject.

7Task 1: Arrange an Efficient Daily ScheduleMain points:Make sure that you have a reasonable balance among the types of activities.Within each activity, avoid having any one type of task run too long.Schedule independent work and cooperative/peer group tasks so that they immediately follow teacher-directed tasks.

8Task 1: Arrange an Efficient Daily Schedule-Trouble SpotsTHE LAST FIVE MINUTES OF CLASS PERIODTry to end each class with a few minutes of teacher-directed instruction.If you schedule independent work time during the last part of the class, students may begin to think that once direct teaching is finished, they are free to do their work –or not.By scheduling the last activity as teacher-directed task, you are making it clear that class time to work on assignments is indeed for the purpose of working on assignments

9Task 1: Arrange an Efficient Daily ScheduleIn summary, a well designed schedule ensures that students experience a varied but balanced range of activities with in subjects.If students are kept engaged with activities that are scheduled for reasonable lengths of time, responsible behavior will likely result.

12Task 2: Create a Positive Physical SpaceMinimize disruptions caused by high–traffic areas in the class.Whenever students are out of their seats there is a greater potential for misbehavior.Arrange the room the room so that students who are moving about (to sharpen pencil, get supplies, etc.) will be less likely to distract students who are working at their seats.Directly teach students how to move about the room without disturbing others.

13Task 2: Create a Positive Physical SpaceIn Summary: the physical space in your classroom should be arranged to prompt responsible behavior from students. Arrange desks to assure:You can circulate around the room.Students can engage in the instructional activity.Distractions are minimized.

14Task 3: Use an Attention SignalTask: Decide on an age-appropriate signal you can use to get student’s full and immediate attention at any time.

15Task 3: Use an Attention SignalTeach them to respond to the signal by focusing on you and maintaining complete silence.Characteristics of an Effective SignalMobileAuditoryVisualMovement

16Task 3: Use an Attention SignalYou must teach students what the signal is and how to respond to it from the first day of school.

17Task 4: Design Effective Beginning and Ending RoutinesThe activities and procedures you use to start and end each school day or class period have a significant influence on the climate of your classroom.Task: Design effective and efficient beginning and ending procedures to communicate to students class time is valuable and will not be wasted.

18Task 4: Design Effective Beginning and Ending RoutinesThe seven critical times and issues are:Entering ClassOpening ActivitiesDealing with Students Not prepared with materialsDealing with students returning after an AbsenceProcedures for End of Day or End of Class PeriodDismissal

19Task 4: Design Effective Beginning and Ending RoutinesEntering ClassGoal 1: Students feel welcome and immediately go to their seats and start on a productive task.Greet students outside your door as they enter your class.Have a task prepared that students can work on when they sit down.Task should be relatively short, 3-5 minutes, should be a review that they can perform independently, but instructionally relevant.

20Task 4: Design Effective Beginning and Ending RoutinesWhen you finish attendance, give the students feedback on the correct responses for the task.Collect the papers so that later you can enter the score or check mark in your grade book to indicate that students completed the task.Students need to know that this initial task counts, or they will soon cease to work on the task.

21Task 4: Design Effective Beginning and Ending RoutinesOpening ActivitiesGoal 2: Students will be instructionally engaged while I take attendance.Utilize a Seating Chart for AttendanceLeave Seating Chart for substitutes when you’re out.Goal 3: Students who are tardy will enter class with minimal disruption.Student is to quietly take their seat.Do not stop what you are doing.Procedure must be taught.

22DEALING WITH STUDENTS NOT PREPARED WITH MATERIALSGoal 4:Establish an effective procedure for dealing with students who do not have required supplies.

23DEALING WITH STUDENTS NOT PREPARED WITH MATERIALSTo be effective, a procedure does the following:Ensures that students can get needed materials in a way that does not disrupt or slow down instruction.Borrow from you or another student w/o bothering or stopping instruction.Establishes reasonable penalties that reduce the likelihood that students will forget materials in the future.Last to leave class.Reduces the amount of time and energy that you, the teacher, spends with this problem.

24DEALING WITH STUDENTS NOT PREPARED WITH MATERIALSClearly communicate what materials you expect each day.Verbally to students and in writing to students’ families in syllabus or notice that goes home on the first day of school.At end of each class period during the first week of school, remind students what materials they should have the next day.

25DEALING WITH STUDENTS RETURNING AFTER AN ABSENCEGoal 5: Develop procedures for students who have been absent so they can easily catch up on missing notes and assignments.Develop a system that suits your needs and saves you time and interruptions.Students know where to find the assignmentStudents know where to find handoutsStudents know the policy for turning in missing work

26PROCEDURES FOR END OF DAY OR END OF CLASS PERIODGoal 6: Develop a procedure for wrapping up the day, class period, or activity which will:ensure students don’t leave the classroom before they organize their materials and complete any necessary clean-up tasks,provide you with enough time to give students both positive and corrective feedback.

27DISMISSALGoal 7: Develop dismissal procedures so students do not leave the classroom until you dismiss them. The bell is not a dismissal signal.On the first days of school and periodically thereafter, remind your students that they are not to leave their seats when the bell rings.The bell is a signal to you – you will excuse the class when they are reasonably quiet and when all wrap-up tasks are completed.You decide how the class is dismissed. By rows or by class depending on their behavior.

28Beginning and Ending ClassIn summary, the beginning and ending of the day or class period play a major role in setting the climate of the classroom.Opening and dismissal routines that are welcoming, calm efficient and purposeful demonstrate to students that you are pleased to see them and that you care about class time.

31Task 5: Manage Student AssignmentsBe specific – tell students exactly how and where they should record information or where they can locate a record of assignments.

32Task 5: Manage Student AssignmentsTeach students to keep their own records for assigned homework.NotebookWeekly Assignment Sheet

33Task 5:Collecting Completed WorkIf possible collect work personally from each student.Give immediate feedback:PositiveCorrectiveKnow immediately which students have not completed work - & students know you know!Students have to face you & not disappoint you.

34Task 5: Manage Student AssignmentsProcedures that are less time intensive:Have students hand in by rows/tablesHave a student helperDesignated basketsLack interpersonal contact and immediate feedback advantages.Until you grade, do not know who turned in assignment.

35Task 5: Keeping Records & Providing FeedbackIMPORTANT:Provide regular feedback to students on:Completed workCurrent grade statusGrade book information is critical for monitoring and evaluating student performance. It is imperative that you enter grades in a timely manner.

36Task 6: Manage Independent Work PeriodsDesign efficient and effective procedures for scheduling and monitoring independent work periods.Without direct Teacher supervision, off-task behavior can easily resultThere is more potential for off task behavior – which can lead to inappropriate horseplay and disrespectful interactions among students – when students are working independently.

37Task 6: Manage Independent Work PeriodsSuggestion:Be sure that any independent work you assign can be done independently by students.If you assign students task that they cannot complete you set them up to fail.Do the work, but fail because of excessive errorsNot do the work & fail because they didn’t completeDo the work, but deal with feeling & looking helpless

39Task 6: Manage Independent Work PeriodsSchedule independent work times in a way that maximizes on task behavior.Develop a clear vision of what student behavior should look and sound like during work times.Provide guided practice on tasks and assignments - work with students in a teacher-directed activity for the first 10 to 50 percent of an assignment.Develop a specific system that enables students to ask questions and get help during independent work periods.

40SummaryThis chapter guides you through organizing your classroom to be efficient and to prompt responsible behavior from your students.If you are able to complete theses tasks before the school year begins you will start off on the first day of school with solid organizational structures in place.